Beanbag Activities Compilation
From Dan Bisson (Grade 7 French Immersion Teacher @
Whitehorse Elementary School)
I would use the beanbag set as a
probability set. Place in a box and
calculate probabilities according to
colours, even and odd number.
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Use them as a translation tool for
math. Pick a number and write it
out in French.
Pass The Factor (A version of hot potato.) Take a number, i.e. 8, and
you have to use it with another number i.e. 5 and give the product
8x5=40. If correct, pass it off to the next person and they must
choose a different number. Once a person makes a mistake, they are
out. You can do this with all operations.
From Jacintha Gurash & Ria Van Hees (EAs @ Holy Family
Elementary School)
We will start off by lining the bags up in numerical order. The
students will run or push a scooter to get the number called out, take
it, and put it into a container that has the matching number on it. We
will modify by changing the number on the container to word form and
to quantity. The students who will be learning by way of this activity
need to be physically involved in processing numerical activities.
From Janine Blakesley (LA Teacher @ Christ the King
Elementary School)
For me, since I work with smaller and sometimes younger groups, you
could do an even or odd number activity with the whole group. Put
the beanbags in a colorful bag then have each student take out a
beanbag and simply tell everyone if their number is even or odd. Take
it a step further and the students have to put themselves into an even
group or odd group depending on what their number is. Take it a step
further still and you could have signs that say even or odd (so the
students get used to reading and recognizing the math vocabulary)
and they have to put the beanbags into the proper categories.
Once the students are familiar with even or odd numbers you could
take two numbers out of a bag at a time and make number sentences
with them or students can decide which number is greater or less than
their partner's number. You can also ask students to pull out two or
three (depending on the grade), beanbags each and make the greatest
number or least number possible.
From Christine Hughes (Kindergarten Teacher @ Selkirk
Elementary School)
Children are in partners - each pair given 1 beanbag. Teacher calls
out an instruction i.e. jump, throw, hop as many times as it shows on
the beanbag. Children then under instruction move onto (bean bags
placed on the floor) another bean bag and the teacher gives another
action for children to try - counting how many spots on bean bag or
reading the number.
From Noli Eastmure (Grades 1-3 Teacher @
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Basic Doubles Facts - Pull a #3 bean bag and then say doubles fact 3
+ 3 = 6 and switch with another student who got their answer correct.
Make 10 - Draw #4 bean bag and then add 6 to make 10.
From Marie-Eve Owen (Grades 2-3 Teacher @ Whitehorse
Elementary School)
Pass the beanbags out to students, equivalent dice and playing cards
so that every student has a manipulative. Have students walk around
the class to music while they "check out" their peers' numbers. When
you stop the music, yell out a mathematical term (sum, difference,
factor, ...) and students who can find their appropriate partner(s) gets
a point. Play with individuals or in teams.
From Barb Kaminecki (Learning Assistance Teacher @ Del Van
Gorder School in Faro)
Put the beanbags in a box along with a cube marked with addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division signs. Make as many number
statements as possible from the 10 beanbags and the operation that is
showing on the top of the cube. This can be done in groups of two.
Points are scored for the number of statements made. The partner
may earn points by pointing out statements missed by the first
student. Take turns. The first student to 15 points wins. (Each
correct statement is worth 1 point) On multiplication and division
tasks, students may need to use 2 bean bags to make a number for
the number statement. For example, 18/3=6 or 3x4=12.
From Deb Lacarte (From School District 59, Dawson Creek, BC)
You would need 2 or 3 sets to get the whole class involved at the same
time. Let students exchange beanbags with other students by
throwing. Call out "Scramble" (Move around the room). Call a
number (This is the number of students who must get together in each
group.) In their groups, the students do a task you assign: (Put your
digits in order from smallest to largest (or largest to smallest); Put
your digits together in a way to make the largest (smallest) number
possible); Add the digits together; Groups of 4 could make the two
largest 2-digit numbers possible (or smallest); etc.